Aerial bomb



June 1111948 Filed 001;. 31, 1942 B. NOGUEIRA AERIAL BOMB 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Inventor Julie 1 19 48.

' B. NOGUEIRA AERIAL BOMB 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed oct. 51, 1942 Patented June 1, 1948 UNITED STATES rATENT OFFICE 2,442,374 1 i AERIAL BOMB Bernardino Nogueira, New York, Application October 31, 1942, Serial No. 464,059'

The present invention relates to new and'useful improvements in aerial bombs and the inventionhas for an important object to provide an armor piercing projectile carried by the bomb and adapted to be fired upon impact of the bomb with a target whereby to cause an initial penetration of the surface of the target, such a s-for instance, the deck of a ship, whereby to provide 'an' opening-into which-the nose of the bomb may easily settle and thus materially increase the damage caused by the bomb.

A further important object of the present invention is to provide an aerial bomb which includes a cannonbarrel having a bore extending therethrough for the discharge of a high powered armor piercing cartridge to initially penetrate the surface of a target and to'provide firing means for'the bomb in the path .of the projectile for exploding the bomb subsequent to the firing of the cartridge for the projectile. Y Y

An additional object is to provide control means for the firing of the armor piercing projectile in which the projectile is heldinactive during the flight of the bomb' and in which thedischarging movement of the projectile is initially caused by the'inertia resulting from the bomb'striking the target to start the projectile in its flight and in which the initial movement of the projectile actuatesa firing mechanism for a cartridge carried by the bomb for firing the projectile.

;A still further object is to provide an apparatus 'of this character of simple and practical construction, which is efficient and reliable in performance, relatively inexpensive to manufacture, which embodies safety features to prevent accidental discharge of the bomb while handling and which otherwise is well adapted for the purposes forwhich the same is intended.

Other objects and advantages reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout and in which- Figure 1 is aside elevational view. Figure 2a is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view'th'rough the tail or rear end of the .bomb.

Figure 2b is a similar view of the nose or front end of the bomb.

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary longitudinal sectional view of the firing mechanism for the armor piercing projectile. L

v Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially ona line 4-4 of Figure 2a 1 Claim. (Cl. 102-2) Figure 5 is a similar view taken substantially on a line 5-5 of Figure 2b." f

Figure 6 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially on a line lie- 6 of Figure 3.

Figure 7 is a detailof the safety locking pin of the armor piercing projectile;

Figure 8 is an end. elevational view of the armor piercing nose cap showing the saw cuts therein.

Figure vice.. 7 j 7 U Referring now to the drawings in detail wherein for the purpose of illustration I have disclosed a' preferred embodiment of the invention, the numeral 5 designates the-principal body of the bomb Whichis of cylindrical shape and ofhollow construction tapering at one end to formthe nose 6. The nose is formed with a bore I extending through the tip thereof and registering with the bore 8 of a cannon barrel 9 extending longitudinally in the body and supported in spaced relation from the wallsthereof by fins lll.

The rear end of the body 5 is closed by a breech block ll in which the rear end of the cannon barrel is recessed as shown to advantage in Figure 2a of the drawings. l V j V H The breech block is rounded and has fitted thereto a tail member l2 of substantially conical shape and includes the longitudinally extending stabilizer fins l3 connected at their rear ends by aringmember I l. 7 1 v The nose 6 is formed with a plurality Of rearwardly inclined ventpassages l5 and fitted, over the nose is a cap lfiswhich maybe soldered; or otherwise temporarily securedtothenose 6, the outer end of the cap being of g'enerallyrounded blunt construction andformed with intersecting saw cuts l1 extending partly alongthe sides of 9 is an enlarged detail of the firingide- .the cap, the saw-cutspermitting spreading or mushrooming of thesegments I9-formed between the saw cuts uponthe strikingof the bomb with a target orobject; The saw cuts are closed by means of relatively light strips of'metal I8 and secured in position bysoldering or the like to prevent oxidation or deterioration of the interior of the cap. Between-the front end of the cap and the front end of thenose 6 Ba cork or wooden plug 20 closing the outer end, of the bore 1. The side walls of the cap are also formedwith vent openings 2| in the region of the openings 15 and spacing fins iii are formed on the interior ofthecap. K

' V Thebreech block n is formed with a recess 22 communicating with a detonator cap 3| positioned in the cartridge 23 for firing the charge.

Flanges 32 project laterally from opposite sides of the cartridge in the plane of. the end; wall, 25, the flanges being seated in. the inner ends. of longitudinal slots 33 formed in the breech' block. Plugs 34 are positioned in the slots bearing against the flanges 32, the plugs being secured in position.v by screws. 35.

An armor piercing projectile 35 is positioned inthe cannon barrel 9..and is provided at its inner end with alongitudinally extending pin 31- having a cross. head 38, the pin extending through the guide 26 while. the cross head 38 is positioned in the chamber 28.,

The-crosshead 38 is inserted, through. the slot of the guide 26 during assembly of the projectile and. is given a ninety degree turn tobring. the pointed ends 39 of the cross head into position fop-strilringthe, firing caps 29 upon the initial I outward movement of the'projectile.

A pair of shear pins 4110f copper or other soft metal. project laterally from diametrically opposite sides'of theprojectile; and are adapted to enter bayonet-slots 41 formed in the outer. end oith breech block I I, one end. of. the bayonet slots having anentrance slot for receiving the endsv of; the pins 4.0 and the bayonet slots 'having; a flange 43 underwhichthe ends of the pins are adapted toride during the assembly of the projectile in. position in the breech block. After th projectile has been assembled. and the pins moved intothe end of the bayonet slots 4.! as shown to advantage in Figure 6 of the drawings, the slots 4] may be closed. by athin metal plate 44.

The bore; 8 of the cannon barrelv 9: isv smooth bore andthe projectile 3B isformed with piston rings 45. After the armor piercing projectile 36 and; the cartridge 23 have been. assembled in position-v in the cannon barrel and. the breech block, the breech block. is secured in position to the body. 5 by'means .Qf screws 46.

The Projectile is secured in position with the cross. m mber. 38- spaced from the firing caps 29 by means of the shear pins 49 and also secured against accidental. displacement by a safety pin 41 extending outwardly throughjthe cannon barrel as well as. through the breech block and the side walls-of the body'with its inner end adapted to entera recess 49' in the side of the projectile. The pin 47- is formed with a collar 49 against which a coil spring 59 abuts for retracting the pin. The outer end of the pin 41 is slidably mounted. in an apertured plug 5| tothe outer end of. which is;- formed; a uide 52 receiving a locking. pin 53 extending transversely ofthe pin 4;! toprevent retracting movement thereof. The locking pin 53 has a chain 54 attached thereto for connection with a stationary part of. an. aeroplane in which the bomb is loaded whereby upon releasing of the bomb tor discharge from the aeroplane in theusual manner the locking pin 53 will be withdrawn to permit retraction of the 4 safety pin 41 in a manner as will be apparent.

The principal body 5 is adapted to carry the main explosive charge in the space surrounding the cannon barrel 9 and the main explosive charge is fired by a detonator of conventional construction indicated at 55 in Figure 2b and Figure 9 of the drawings which is positioned in a light metal casing 56 secured in the front end of the body to one of the fins lO by the ears 51'. The detonator 55 is connected by means of a fuse 58 leading to a firing cap 59 mounted in a plug 59 in the nose of the body. The firing cap 59 is in the path of a firing pin 60 having one end beveled and projected into the bore 8 of the cannon barrel: by'means of a coil spring 6|. A safety wire 52 is connected to the outer end of th firing pin 69 and soldered tothe wall of the bore 8 to prevent accidental firing movement of the pin 60 during handling of the bomb.

In the operation of the device after the looking pin 53'has been withdrawn by the gravitation of the bomb during its initial dischargefrom the aeroplane the safety pin '4! isthen retracted by the spring 55 to permit the projectile 3,5 to be fired.

Uponimpact of the bomb with the target,,such as the deck of'a ship, the nose cap. I 6, upon striking the target willopen and a sudden interruption in the flight of the 00mb will cause the weight of the projectile 36 to shear the pins 40 and move the prongs 39 of the cross member 38'intjo striking engagement with the firing caps 29' whereby to explode the cartridge 23 and fire the projectile through the cannon barrekinto the target to form an opening therein-.

The end of the nose 6 tapers to a substantially sharpened point permitting the nose of the bomb to settle intoopening caused by the. projectile 36, and this entering movement of the bomb is aided by the lateral support and uidance given by the nose cap I 6;

As the projectile 36 passes through the outer end of the bore 8. of the cannon barrel 9. the firing pin 60 willbe actuatedwhereby to. fire the main charge through thedelayedaction of the fuse 58.

From the-foregoing it will be appreciated. that the interruption in the flight of the bomb, when striking its target, will cause initial discharging movement of the armor piercing projectile, which is then accelerated by the firing of. the cartridge.

It is believed the details of construction, advantages and manner of use of the device will'b e readily understood from the foregoing Without further detailed explanation.

Having described the invention, what: is claimed as new is:

An aerial bomb. comprising an. elongated hollow body having at one endfa. pointed nose provided with an open axial bore. a barrelrmounted in the body axially of the latter and having: an axial bore aligned with the bore of. said' nose, a bursting explosive charge for the body disposed within the latter and about the barrel, stabilizer fins on the other end of the body, an ar'mor'piercing projectile mounted in thebarrel for discharge through said nose, an explosive-charge for firing the projectile from the barrel, igniting means for the second-named explosive charge including a firing cap, a firing member attached'toandzmoyable withthe projectile for-strikingsaid firing cap and causing firing of the projectile: uponmovement of the latter underthe force of inertia-due to impact of the bomb with a target, meansincluding afiring" pin operatedqby the, projectile in its passage from the barrel for igniting said 5 bursting charge, and frangible means for pre- Number venting movement of the projectile until the 1,275,686 bomb impacts the target. 1,239,702 BERNARDINO NOGUEIRA. 1,223,233 REFERENCES CITED 5 2,139,665 2,330,393 The followmg references are of record 1n the file of this patent:

Number UNITED STATES PATENTS 10 111,911 Number Name Date 36,686 Callender Oct. 14, 1862 Name Date Hill Aug. 13, 1918 Draper Dec. 31, 1918 Barlow Nov. 18, 1919 Wright Mar. 6, 1923 Booker Dec. 13, 1938 Stieb Sept. 28, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Great Britain Apr. 25, 1918 

